Hitslink, yet another web metrics company, reports that the number of people using Mac OS online topped 4 percent by the end of November. Over the last 12 months the use of the fairer platform has surged from 3.29 to 4.11 percent.

Further, preliminary data for December from the company shows that Mac OS usage will post another large jump, as well.

Various flavors of Windows--XP, 2000 and 98, respectively--account for over 90 percent of those measured.

An earlier report from Net Applications also shows 4.11 percent of end users on the web running Mac OS.

Editor's note: Will the arrival of Vista dampen Apple's long-march return to relevance?